NHL Status Report: Hedman out weeks for Lightning

Welcome to the NHL Status Report. Here is the latest lineup/injury news around the NHL.

Tampa Bay Lightning

Victor Hedman is "probably a couple of weeks away still" for the Lightning because of an undisclosed injury, coach Jon Cooper said. The defenseman, who was placed on injured reserve Thursday, has 12 assists and is averaging 22:36 of ice time in 15 games this season. "It's just a tough one for him," Cooper said. "The big thing here is the longevity and having him be better in the long run." … Nick Paul made his season debut against the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday. The forward, who has been out since having surgery for an upper-body injury during training camp, took line rushes with Jake Guentzel and Brayden Point at the morning skate. "I feel good. I just went out there and had a nice little skate. Feels great," Paul said. "... I'm a little nervous, obviously, coming in mid-season everyone got their touches...just coming in and trying to start simple and not do anything crazy. Just work my way into it." Paul had 41 points (22 goals, 19 assists) in 76 games last season.

St. Louis Blues

Jake Neighbours returned for the Blues against the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday. The forward sustained an injury to his right leg during a 6-4 loss at the Detroit Red Wings on Oct. 25 and was expected to be out at least five weeks. He missed 12 games. "I felt really good at practice (Wednesday) and had a discussion with the doctors and Ray (Barile, head athletic trainer) and his team and all came to an agreement that I felt I was ready to go, so here I am," Neighbours said. He has seven points (six goals, one assist) in eight games this season. "It's good news," Blues coach Jim Montgomery said. "He was our leading goal-scorer when he left the lineup. The character, how hard he is, all that stuff, it really matters to the little things that make up real success in a locker room, on the bench and on the ice." In a corresponding move, forward Alexandre Texier was designated as non-roster. He has one assist in eight games this season and hasn't played since Nov. 6.

Toronto Maple Leafs

Auston Matthews participated in a full morning skate for the first time since sustaining a lower-body injury Nov. 11 but missed his fourth straight game when Toronto played the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday. The Maple Leafs captain has 14 points (nine goals, five assists) in 17 games this season. … Scott Laughton returned against Columbus. The forward, who was activated off injured reserve Thursday, had missed the previous five games because of an upper-body injury he sustained on Nov. 8, his second game after missing the first 13 of the season because of a lower-body injury. … Anthony Stolarz has not been on the ice since he sustained an upper-body injury Nov. 11. "Worse than we thought (initially)," coach Craig Berube said. "He's not ready to get on the ice yet and do the things he has needed to do. Hopefully it's soon. I really don't have a timetable for him. Maybe tomorrow he'll be on the ice, I'm not sure." ... Forward Nicolas Roy (upper body) was placed on injured reserve retroactive to Nov. 15.

Ottawa Senators

Brady Tkachuk skated with his teammates on Wednesday for the first time since having thumb surgery last month. The Senators captain was injured during a 4-1 loss to the Nashville Predators on Oct. 13 when he was cross-checked by defenseman Roman Josi in the first period. Tkachuk was expected to be sidelined 6-8 weeks. "It was awesome. It's just another step in the rehab process, being out there," said Tkachuk, who has three assists in three games this season. "It's just such a great feeling being back with the boys, being back with the group and pushing to be back. ... I've been champing at the bit to get back with the boys and you know, I felt a lot better than I expected." The Senators play the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday (10 p.m. ET; Victory+, TSN5, RDS), the first of a seven-game road trip.

Nashville Predators

Roman Josi could return against the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday. The defenseman and Predators captain has been sidelined the past 12 games with an upper-body injury he sustained on Oct. 23. Josi has five points (one goal, four assists) in eight games this season. He missed the final 25 games of last season and was diagnosed with Postural Tachycardia Syndrome (PTS), a condition where a change in posture from lying down to standing causes an abnormal increase in heart rate, often accompanied by symptoms such as dizziness, lightheadedness and fatigue, according to Cleveland Clinic. "It was great to see him out there. Obviously, we miss him when he's out of the lineup, it's pretty obvious," Nashville coach Andrew Brunette said after practice Wednesday. "Was nice to have him back earlier in the year, so hopefully he's getting closer to a return. ... For his first practice, I wasn't really evaluating him. I was just happy to see happy to see him out there, and hopefully he felt good."

New York Islanders

Alexander Romanov (upper body) was placed on injured reserve Wednesday. The defenseman was injured in a 3-2 win against the Dallas Stars on Tuesday when he was boarded behind the net at 19:32 of the third period by Stars forward Mikko Rantanen, who was also given a game misconduct. "Right now, we don't have much of an update because he's going to see our doctor when we get to New York," Islanders coach Patrick Roy said prior to their game against the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday. Romanov has one assist and 31 blocked shots in 15 games this season and is averaging 19:27 of ice time. He missed five games earlier this season with an upper-body injury.

Florida Panthers

Eetu Luostarinen is week to week after sustaining burns during a barbecue accident, Panthers coach Paul Maurice said Wednesday. The forward has 10 points (three goals, seven assists) in 18 games this season. ... Maurice also said Cole Schwindt is expected to be out 2-3 months. The forward will have surgery on his broken arm when the swelling goes down. Schwindt was injured during an 8-5 win against the Vancouver Canucks on Monday after a collision with teammate Sergei Bobrovsky. Schwindt has two goals in 10 games this season.